Hershey Bears fans line up for Outdoor Classic tickets

Though it is June, Hershey Bears fans were out in force at Giant Center when the season ticket holder presale for the Capital BlueCross AHL Outdoor Classic began on Monday.

Hershey Bears fans come across the pedestrian bridge as they arrive for Game 5 of the 2008-09 Calder Cup finals at Giant Center. June 9, 2009.
CHRIS KNIGHT, The Patriot-News

Bears season ticket sales manager Bob Ancharski said people were already arriving when he got to his office at 6:45 a.m. The sale began at 10 a.m.

“We estimate that we had about 175 lined up [at the box office], and then the phone lines were cranking all morning,” Ancharski said. “It’s been a good response so far.”

Ancharski estimated that more than 2,000 tickets were sold in the first two hours.

Ticket prices to the event for season ticket holders range from $95 to $55 and include admission to the Jan. 20, 2013, Outdoor Classic at Hersheypark Stadium between the Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Jan. 19, 2013, Hershey-WBS alumni game and one Hersheypark day pass good through July 4, 2013.

The price scale is higher for this outdoor game than previous outdoor games produced by AHL clubs because Hersheypark Stadium has a smaller seating capacity than previous venues, said Bears marketing manager Andy Longenberger.

“From an outdoor perspective, obviously, we’ve got to bring in some folks who are skilled at ice-making in an outdoor setting,” Longenberger said. “We’ve got to bring in the ice. The expense there is pretty pricey.

“You look at a Hamilton game last year, and they had about 25,000-26,000 seats available for sale. We’re really sitting more in that wheelhouse of about 18,000. Just when you look at the pure economics of the amount of money it costs to built the event and build the ice is really the reason that the tickets are where they’re at.”

The Bears have not established a date for when general ticket sales will begin. The season ticket holder presale -- each season ticket holder may purchase up to six outdoor tickets -- ends June 25.

“We’ll see how that shakes out the next couple of days,” Longenberger said. “From there, we’ll have a little bit better understanding of where we’re at [in terms of ticket availability].

“As far as an event, it’s going to be unbelievable. It’s going to be awesome out there.”

NOTEBOOK

The Jan. 22, 2013, Lebanon Valley College-University of Delaware outdoor game at Hersheypark Stadium is not part of the Outdoor Classic ticket package.

The AHL’s annual summer meetings in Hilton Head Island, S.C., are scheduled to run from June 24-28. The use of instant replay for goals is expected to be on the agenda.

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